Chrysalis
by PenNameUnknown
Summary: BtvS:HPx-over: WRSS eventually . Confronted by reality. Willow is given the rare chance to leave the Muggle world.
1. Default Chapter

**Chrysalis **

**AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it.**

**I do not have a beta. If you are interested in beta-ing my story(ies) please contact me.**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners. **

_'thoughts'_

_---------_

scene change

**CHAPTER ONE**

The yellow envelope laid open and forgotten on the floor. Remus Lupin sat in the study of 12 Grimmauld Place current head quarters to the order.

In the haggard man's hand was a clutched piece of paper. Even as the other order members began to slowly arrive Lupin remained unmoving clutching the paper staring into the fire.

A plump and motherly red headed woman wandered into the room. Her eyes flick from the envelope on the floor up towards the worn gray man. "Remus?" Molly paused waiting for an answer as she bent to pick up the envelope reading it as she waited.

_Angel_

_Angel Investigations: We Help the Helpless_

_c/o Wolfram & Heart_

_Los Angelus, California_

_America_

_87032_

_Sirus Black_

_c/o P.O. Box 156_

_Ipswitch, Suffolk_

_IP42 V10_

"Remus?" Molly repeated becoming slightly worried about Lupin. Still she received no answer from the silent man "Remus I am going to get Albus..."

Molly quickly left the room seeking out the Hogwarts Headmaster not quite understanding the state that Remus was in, but trusting that the older wizard would either understand or have some idea of how to help the situation.

When Molly returned she rushed into the room with not only Albus Dumbledore, but also Minerva Mcgonagall who stood behind Dumbledore her stern face softening some what as she watched her past pupil. Dumbledore was the first to speak "Mr. Lupin?"

Remus finally responded to the prompts directed his way "To late"

Mcgonagall spoke first cutting off both Molly Weasly and Dumbledore "To late for what Remus?" confusion knotting her brow.

Again Lupin lapsed into his silence though his attention turned from the fire to the others in the room. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have taken on that unnatural twinkle that only he could manage.

In place of Lupin responding Dumbledore spoke up "They have news of her?" Whereas the women in the room appeared confused and silent. Molly seemed ready to run and engulf the distant man in a huge motherly hug. Whereas Minerva's usual stern expression softened a little more.

Lupin nodded gently an empty voice rasping out "Dead." His near constant quiet, calm control seemed to slip. "Oh Merlin Albus, she's dead..." Remus tried to choke back the sob that wracked his body, but failed and tears started to fall from his eyes.

Molly's move forward was cut off as Minerva sat on the arm rest of the chair and wrapped Lupin in a tight hug "... Lakshmi Black is dead. Traces of her magic(k) were found on a young woman believed to be her daughter... a daughter she had a daughter... a girl." A sad smile fluttered across the broken man's face

"A powerful untrained witch apparently and very much alive. She's twenty.... Lakshmi died for her, but the girl lived... her daughter... our daughter..." as quick as the smile appeared it flittered away "he never gave up on finding Lakshmi.

He thought if he looked long enough, hard enough he would find her and there would be a fairy tale ending and now they are both gone...

Merlin an uncle he was an uncle and he will never get to see his niece..." suddenly fear and apprehension filled the werewolf's face "... they say that she's contactable, but heavily protected and to do so we have to go through them.

It would mean going to L.A. and meeting with them.

After that she would be informed and given the option of meeting us..." loneliness filled his face "... no not us... me... just me." at the remembrance that he was the sole surviving Maurader alone with out his friends Lupin finished his rant and became closed off withdrawing again inside himself.

"The choice to meet the young girl is yours, but you are family to her. She may be upset at first and hurt, but she is a grown woman Remus.

Family is important we reach out to our family who better for the girl to meet. It seems her list of living family members is very narrow" Albus spoke firmly and softly as he spoke Minerva stood staying near Lupin with a light hand resting on his shoulder for support"

Lupin seemed to process what had been said to him thinking deeply. The longer he thought the more fear seemed to fill his face '_Oh Merlin, her grandfather. How could I forget! He will want her if she is powerful even untrained, he will take her. _

_She wont be able to fight him. She wouldn't know to fight him. Lakshmi... would you forgive me if I let her fall to him? _

_Could I forgive myself if any more of my family... my pack was lost to him.' _

After the fear came a hard possessive glint to his eye '_our daughter... our cub,_ _**my** cub...' _he bit back a small growl as determination crossed the usually soft face '_he will not take my cub'._

"Well now that that has been decided. There is a port key waiting in your room. It leaves tomorrow morning at nine and arrives straight at the offices. It is keyed for three people to arrive. I would suggest you invite Severus and Minerva to go with you.After all if we are to be keeping this young woman safe it might be best to have her at Hogwarts. I am sure Severus and Minerva will be willing to assess her to see what her potential is. Knowing her parents I am sure that exceptions can be made and something can be arranged to see to some more formal training."

Remus looked at the headmaster in shock "... but Albus she is a grown woman... she will not fit in with the children... the governors will not like this... the ministry will be upset..." he knew as soon as he finished that the man next to him would already have answers to each statement.

Dumbledore did not disappoint "She is a grown woman so she should have a choice you are right...

I am sure a few of our students would be more then willing to accept a child of one of their favorite DADA professors.

Leave the governors to me they will understand that there has been a long unused tradition of exchange between the American School and ours.

Between the muggle move for independence occurring along side the American Ministry's development and separation from the British Ministry we have fallen out of touch and I'm sure that they will realize that building bridges with other cultures is very important and because it is a different culture I am sure that American Wizards and Witches operate very differently and have a different standard of learning and education. They will see that this is a great opportunity for Hogwarts and its students.

As for the ministry if this young woman is as powerful as implied and as well connected with strong protectors as it may seem I am sure that they would rather have her rest safely with us where she is protected from those who may wish to control her power for less then desirable means.

After all then not only will the be dealing with a powerful dark witch they didn't have to face before, but powerful allies that would go to the dark side in this war because of their relationship to the young witch and powerful allies who may hold the wizarding world and the English Ministry responsible for failing her when they did know she existed.

I am sure that they will see logic and reason in light of these facts and understand that it is for the best the young woman comes to Hogwarts if she chooses to.

Now with those worries set to rest I do believe we have an Order meeting to attend shortly and if we are not quick all of that wonderful smelling dinner Molly prepared for us will be gone. I do hate to work on an empty stomach, awfully uncomfortable..."

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**Later That Night:**

"Albus I will not be rational! You cannot be serious!"

"Severus I assure you I am entirely rational" at which the younger man sneered as if to imply he thought otherwise, but the older wizard just continued on as if not noticing. "The portkey leaves from here at nine in the morning you will need a good nights rest I am sure portkeying that far isn't always an easy experience. The supplies you will need and the potions recipes to be tested are on your desk in your office. Though feel free to bring a few more complicated ones of your own choosing just in case she proves to be a surprise. There is also a practice wand and several objects with instructions for specific charms and instructions for testing in DADA. Mcgonagall will cover transfiguring plants for herbology recognition and history of magic. I believe that is everything then. I know you wont let me down Severus. Have a good night." The cheerful elder Wizzard apperated out of the room before the scowling younger wizard could get a word in edge wise.

The much younger man let a long winded string of insults out before making his own way to Hogwarts for the evening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chrysalis **

**AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it.**

**I do not have a beta, if you are interested in beta-ing my story (ies) please contact me.**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners. **

_'thoughts'_

_-----------_

**scene change**

**CHAPTER TWO**

"Wolfram and Heart, do you know the extension cord of the person you are trying to reach?" The sterile nasal voice of the company operator tinly chirped out over the phone lines.

"No" _'Maybe this was a bad idea... maybe I should go back to England...'_

"Who are you looking for sir?" That same tinny nasal voice chirped only this time sounding a little irritated.

"A Mister .... Angel....?"_'That is it.. no last name... he probably doesn't work here... _

"One moment I'll put you through to his secretary"

Lupin glanced at his traveling companions while he sat on hold listening to overly cheerful muggle songs. It wore slightly on his very worn nerves it wasn't bad enough he wanted to run away and hide.

To avoid getting rejection.

What if she hated him for not knowing, for not finding her, for not suspecting she might be alive, for not looking harder, for who he was?

What self respecting witch would want a werewolf for a father? She grew up a muggle. She would probably fear him.

He wasn't going to run. He couldn't run. No matter how much he wanted to run to avoid rejection, like avoiding the entire topic of lycanthropy and himself as a student. Not wanting others to find out. Not wanting them to know. To judge. To hate him. To fear him.

No she was his, a part of his now very small pack and he would protect her.

Remus was jolted from his thoughts when he heard Snape speak only to find that the phone has suddenly disappeared.

"Hello, I would like to speak to Mr. Angel" Sape's sharp curt voice called out as Remus realized where the phone had reappeared with Snape.

Mcgonagall rested a hand on Remus' shoulder offering comfort but also preventing the wound up werewolf from retaliating and trying to remove the phone from Snape by force.

As he turned away from the phone Remus realized he has been growling softly in the directing of Snape and the phone and he took a deep breath closing his eyes running his hand through his hair again.

"It is of the utmost importance that we speak to this Angel person as soon as possible." Snape stiffly cut out. His tone moving from one of stern boredom to stern annoyance "Listen here you vapid, inane little chit, your boss Mr Angel instructed us to be here. We are here.

He wanted to speak with us we have called. No we will not try phoning again later. _You _will make us an appointment with him today or suffer when he finds out that your incompetence and bumbling have created. I am sure it wont be the first time your mistakes have inconvenienced him and those trying to speak with him"

Remus' eyes grew wide shocked at the insults and the self important air that was beging convayed over the phone. Getting a first hand view of the dreaded potions professors.

The phone crashed down and Snape turned to his companions "We have an appointment at 6 when Angel returns from a meeting.

Use your next hour well we will have to order and use muggle means of transportation. I am sure Lupin is at least able to manage to arrange that with out assistance?" Snapes eye brow rose up as he began to quickly move around the hotel room that Dumbledore had arranged for them.

Mcgonagall spoke up first "Then we best get some thing to eat and head over there." She smiled gently at the younger man and lightly squeezed his shoulder before gathering up her things and organizing herself.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio of wizards and witch waited in the reception of Angel's office. Mcgonagall sitting straight backed in a chair watching Remus fiddle and try to appear calm and Severus Snape stand off slightly away from the two of them scowling.

Wolfram & Heart had set their nerves off, through out the building there was a feeling of magic(k). It unnerved all three of them because this was the muggle world. The unmagic(k)al world.

The buzz in the air was something that they might have missed if they had come directly from the wizarding world where so much magic(k) floated about easily. However, walking in off the definitely nonmagical muggal street into the building the buzz of magic was scarily noticeable.

Currently they were waiting for the receptionist to notice that they were actually there. Despite Remus politely clearing his throat she seemed less then willing to acknowledge their presence.

Inwardly Remus fumed that it was most likely due to the earlier rudeness of Snape over the phone and the correct assumption that they belonged to the group meeting with Angel in 5 short minuets.

"Frija preserve me!" Snape slammed a hand down on the receptionists desk.

The young woman jumped and looked up glaring "You know you're kinda rude."

"We are here to see Angel" Severus curtly said to the annoying little woman

The woman glared even more "Oh! You are the man from the phone! You are really rude"

She continued to glare not moving from her seat. "You should be nice to me. I don't have to tell him you are here you know! He could just think you skipped the appointment and happily go on his way!"

Severus seemed to be trying to figure out how to curse the young woman with out the ministry finding out he had attacked a muggle.

Remus moved forward towards the desk softly. His voice quiet and tired "You will have to excuse my companion Miss. We have all had a very long day traveling here from England. It is rather important that we speak with Mr. Angel though so if you could find it in you to let him know that we are here I would appreciate it very much."

The receptionist looked between all three of them '_... and if I don't Mr In My Face will storm into the office flying off the handle screaming about how terrible I am. Mr Gray will make him feel guilty over it because you are all calm and look ready to either fall apart or sleep. And she will look stern and serious and important so he doesn't throw them out before he realizes I was going to send them away. Then I'm in trouble..' _

"Fine! I'll let him know you are here." The young woman seemed to sulk all the way into the office.

The muffled sound of whining filter out into the reception. The door was yanked open and the pouting receptionist stormed out "Angel will see you now." she stormed back to her desk and flopped into her seat. Looking very much the part of a whiny teenager.

Remus shot her a kind nervous smile "Thank you very much Miss." and he lead the group into the office.

Angel looked up from his desk as the three moved in keeping an eye on the werewolf moving into his office "I am afraid my receptionist forgot to find out who you are and _why_ you wanted to see me so how about we start with that?"

Remus reached into his coat pocket drawing out the letter addressed to Sirus Black holding onto it while he spoke "I am Remus Lupin, my companions are Severus Snape, and Minerva Mcgonagall. We are here about a letter you sent to Sirus Black..."

Angel stiffened cutting off Remus "And where is Mr. Black? I do believe I asked _him _to come to the offices if _he_ was interested pursuing this"

Remus flinched "Please, I was a friend of Mr. Black." he paused and took a breath before continuing quietly "A few months ago Mr. Black was killed in an attack."

Angel did not relax "Then why are you here? Like I said Mr. Black contacted us to find his sister and any children she may have had. I am not about to hand over this woman to a group of total strangers I'm sorry"

Remus tried to keep his usual calm. He tried not to growl at the one man who could tell him where his cub was.

He failed and growled softly eyes narrowing "I am here for _my _cub." Remus took a deep breath closing his eyes clenching his fists and then slowly releasing them as he relaxed "I am sorry, this is a bad week for me. Please let me explain?"

Angel's attention snapped at the werewolf's use of the word cub. He watched the worn wolf try to collect himself "Explain then"

Remus let a small smile of thanks cross his face before he started speaking in quiet calm tones "I mentioned that Sirus and I were friends. We had been very close friends ever since we met at school.

I received the letter to him, because I have been helping organize some of his affairs. We are here because Sirus's sister and I were...." Remus trailed off momentarily trying to find a way to explain that Lakshmi had been his mate.

_'A muggle wouldn't understand she was my mate.' _As he thought that something clicked for Remus. The man across from him did not smell like a muggle.

He smelt like a vampire. Remus' eyes met the vampire named Angel. Remus telling himself off for being so distracted that he failed to even notice that the person with the key to his cub was a vampire.

They seemed to watch each other closely as Remus continued his explanation

"I met Lakshmi at school as well she was a year older then us and Sirus's half sister. She was my mate. She was also the daughter of a very warped and evil man who decided he wanted her to fight for his cause. She was a very powerful young woman and with her connections she managed to run away. She cut off contact with our world and disappeared in 1981"

Angel relaxed only slightly "So you believe that her daughter is also your daughter and you would like to make contact with this young woman. And the people with you are? "

"I know she is my daughter, I would have known if she had been unfaithful to me before she left and she hadn't. The people with me are professors."

The two took that as their que to move forward.

"Severus Snape, Potions Master"

The woman smiled breifly "I am Minerva Mcgonagall, I transfiguration professor and deputy headmistress at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The headmaster requested that we join Mr. Lupin and meet with the young lady."

"Alright. First. I don't know you. I don't trust you and if you give me reason you will find living very difficult. This will be her choice and if she says she doesn't want to meet you or she no longer wants contact with you. You will leave and not try to contact her again. Are we all clear?" Angel took out his cell phone and stood as the others nodded.

"Hello?"

"Fred good you are home."

How is she holding up?"

"Good."

"Look could you put her on the line? Thanks"

"Hey Little One want to sit down?"

"You are. Good I've got some news."

"Have you come to a decision about the Sirus case?"

"You are sitting Little One. Not quite another member is here in his place and would like to meet you. Lakshmi's mate. ." There was an extended pause as Angel listen with an amused smile on his face.

"Alright I will let them know"

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Willow sat looking out of the window to her room in the Hyperion hotel.

Kennedy was dead. Gone. Buried. She died in Cleveland. She had manage to survive a battle against the first only to get taken down by a normal every day vampire that caught her by surprise.

She was cursed, everyone left her. One way or another they always leave. At least this time she hadn't tried to end the world.

It hurt though.

Kennedy hadn't been her everything, but she cared and it hurt.

Everyone was worried about her still. They said she needed a break. With all the activated potentials she wasn't needed in Cleveland. So Buffy called Angel asked him if she could come here.

Buffy and Giles were looking for the potentials and setting up

That was six months ago.

She felt kinda bad about not trying to destroy the world after Kennedy died. She knew destroying the world was full of the badness and she didn't want to go there.

What with the black eyes and the veiny Darth Willowness. Then there was the whole liking the world now thing. Well like might be a little strong, but it seems like a very nice world and if given a chance... and even mentally ranting.

But the point was there. Did she not care enough about Kennedy to want to end the world? Or was it she was more grounded and controlled this days that the magic didn't control her?

Was she expected to destroy the world every time someone she cared about died now?

So making with the helpful in Cleveland. Kinda confused and bummed out and looking for a little redemption.

Buffy put two and two together and made four. Angel is in the redemption business. Willow owns major stock.

Making with the save the world mojo one time apparently doesn't clean the slate. So where better to send her when she's all down and needing to do something, and needing to get out of Cleveland? Angel!

It's not that she was upset at her friends for handing her off to Angel. She understood they were busy with saving the world again and finding potentials and setting up a new and improved Watchers Council. Complete with all the bells and whistles.

It's not that she didn't like it here. She did. She liked them and here and making with the helping and she was useful. Wolfram and Heart's network didn't stand a chance against her.

She just felt like she shouldn't be enjoying herself. '_Well I shouldn't! It has only been six months. I should be making with the crying and the sadness'_

It was around this point Fred wandered in with the phone "Willow? Angel's on the phone for you" she said gently to the distracted witch.

"Thanks" Willow lipped to the other woman as she took the phone

"Hey Angel?"

"Hey Little One want to sit down?"

'_Eep! Super serious-type stuff!' _Willow thought before sitting down and replying "I already am, what is it?"

"You are. Good I've got some news."

"Angel what is the news?"

"Have you come to a decision about the Sirus case Little One?"

"Is he there? Oh goddess! What if he hates me what if... I need to sit"

"You are sitting Little One"

"Oh? Am I? Good for me, Angel is he there?"

"Not quite another member is here in his place and would like to meet you. Lakshmi's mate."

"Lakshmi... as in the woman the computer said was my mother?..." Willow asked slowly "M..m..mate as in the person who is my father or really angry that Lakshmi has me.

But it doesn't sound angry there. It sounds pretty quiet.

They want to meet me don't they? Of course they do they wouldn't be here if they didn't'?

They don't look evil do they? You wouldn't let me meet them if they were evil though. I'm ranting aren't I? Angel! You are meant to tell me when I'm ranting so I stop ranting and ..."

Willow trailed off collecting her thoughts. She had been expecting this for a while, one of the first cases she helped with had been one for a Mr. Sirus Black looking for a woman named Lakshmi.

They had had the case for quite a while and made little progress. Lakshmi seemed to be non-existent. So Willow decided whipped out the lean mean Willow computer nerd skills.

At first nothing was showing up, but she expanded the search with the information from the file of information from Mr. Black. Willow found a Lakshmi Avery had registered at the DMV and a the license photograph on file matched the description of the woman.

A little more hacking into hospital records and Willow finds out that Lakshmi had a daughter who was adopted by one Ira and Shela Rosenberg. She oddly was found dead for no medical reason a few weeks later.

She was still unsure how she felt about being adopted, but now someone was here. To see her. To meet her.

'_Oh Goddess, it's so soon. What if they hate me? What if they are disappointed in me? Hi! I'm Willow your daughter who ends the world on weekends tell me about yourself? I can't do it! Okay, self listen to me. You have helped to beat countless apocalypses and big bads including The First and you survived Ira and Sheila you can do this. You have to do this. You are big and mean and strong. I am Willow hear me roar... maybe mew...?'_

"Okay, I'll come there and meet them, but only if you stay in with me. I can't do this alone. What if they hate me? What if... Give me an hour will that be okay?"

"Alright I will let them know"

Frija is the Norse Goddess attributed with patience. It's a play on the expression 'saints' since wizards probably don't have saints


	3. Chapter 3

**Chrysalis **

**AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it.**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners. **

_'thoughts'_

**scene change**

**CHAPTER 3**

Willow fiddled with her shirt as she wandered into the Wolfram & Heart building. She spent the entire trip up to Ange's office chewing her lip or wringing her hands fighting the urge to run and hide.

She walked though the reception not seeing Harmony sitting behind the desk and slipped into Angel's office.

Angel was in the middle of threatning vividly various horrible torture type things to the three people standing in his office looking slightly scared and pointing... sticks at Angel ... Angel wearing game face...

"Angel! Game face!" Willow rushed into the room "I'm sure we all understand that you are the big bad mean vampire man who will make our lives hell" Willow grinned at him and she walked over offering him a hug forgetting the others in the room "There see all calm and relaxed now and more Mr Ragh I'm going to kill you face!"

"But, he's a..." Minerva gasped out

"Vampire? Yup I know! You see when he gets grumpy he sometimes slips into game face and makes with the Grrr wrinkles of doom"

"But aren't you...?"

"Afraid? Of Angel? Of course not! I've known him ever since high school when he did the whole helping Buffy thing. I guess. I suppose there was that whole evil vampire Angelus bit, but he has a soul now, he's good. So we don't hold that against him. He makes with the helping and the non hurting. And I'm ranting..."

"Angelus?!? You naive, blank minded, idiotic little girl! Angelus the scourge of Europe?!?! How do you _know _he has a soul? How can you be sure? He could very well be toying with you!" Severus lectured out much like he would do a student who had made a mistake in his classroom.

Angel flinched slightly and moved to stand, but Willow spoke first. Her posture straightening and her eyes narrowing "I know he has a soul, because I was there when he got it. I was the one who preformed the Gypsy curse on him. So unless he has managed to find a moment of true happiness I'm pretty certain he still has it."

Not pausing for breath Willow began to move as she spoke getting more and more animated as she defended Angel "Also the whole you all still being alive... pretty big indicator. Angelus may like to toy with his food, but you guys are no where near important enough on the food chain to warrant toying with. He what just met you? You have no connections to Angel? No if he was Angelus he would be back at the hotel trying to kill us off one by one or tracking down the Slayer again so that he could try and destroy her life. _That _is how I am sure he has a soul Sir. Assumes A Lot!"

Snape opened his mouth to speak, but Willow cut him off "No. You don't get to talk. You see you had your chance to talk and you wasted it. Angel is my friend and I trust him. I know him, I have known him for a lot longer then I've known you. You are a group of people one of which claims to be my father, with a mother I who I didn't know about until a few months ago. If you don't like me being friends with Angel then you are in for a lot of shocks with me buster."

Willow paused not for a breath but to poke Snape in the chest "I have a lot of friends that you wont approve of: Spike (you probably knew him as William The Bloody, one of the other members of the Scourge of Europe) we weren't friends are first. He was kinda evil and wanting to take over things and kill us all. Mainly Buffy, but I'm sure he would have enjoyed killing us too even if it was just a little bit. But he got chipped and then couldn't hurt anybody and loved Buffy and then got his very own soul and helped us a lot and sacrificed himself fighting The First!"

"I used to date Oz (a werewolf). It didn't end well at time. Sure he was all wolfy and for three nights of the month he hung out in a cage, but he did he ask to be bitten? Did it change who he was? No! He was still the same old Oz. I'm pretty sure he never meant to end things they way they did. He didn't want to hurt me, but he liked Veruca and they had the whole furry thing in common and, and it's not like he liked running around killing things too!" Willow glared hard at wizard in front of her while continuing her rant.

"I was friends with a Vengeance Demon named Anya or Anyanka. Well less friends at first and more she dated my best friend and tolerated me. She wasn't happy when I blew up the Magic Shop or when I came back from England all controlled (hell D'hoffryn offered _me_ a job as one)." A small laugh was given out at the thought of Willow the Vengeance demon. "She was a little blunt and REALLY tactless, but she was a Scooby and a non evil human and demon! Then there is Lorn (really you have to meet him to understand), but he's all green and demony and if you met him you probably would be all AHHH a demon! It's evil! Must kill! Great you just killed one of the nicest people in this city! Oh and you have a lot of upset demons and humans on your hands. He's great and nice and a little overwhelming at times and he likes REALLY bright clothing, but he's not evil at all."

"And you know what if you can't accept that then you can't accept me. They were all good! Most of them gave their lives in the fight for light. You want to get all good and evil black and white you can just be quiet and hush. Not all people are good, not all people are evil! Why is it so hard to realize that not all of anything is good and not all of anything is evil! A vampire saved you lot from The First. _He _closed the Hellmouth and lost his life so ungrateful, arrogant, rude people like _you _could continue to wander around and fell so self important that you are the great judge for good and evil."

Again Snape opened his mouth only to be cut off by Willow "No. I said you don't get to talk. Unless you plan on apologizing to Angel you've lost the talking stick and you are on time out buster! You wouldn't like me when I'm cranky."

Snape was fuming and ready to tell the bossy little chit off.

Angel however noticed Willow's clenched fists and rapidly decreasing control. He rested a hand on her shoulder "I think this has been a very stressful day for Willow so why don't Professor Snape and Mcgonagall head back to their hotel and collect the things. Provided Mr. Snape can keep himself controlled you three can stay at the Hyperion to give Willow and her father a chance to talk with _out_ antagonizing her or interrupting it."

Mcgonagall nodded slightly "Severus, I do believe it best we leave for now. She will probably want a chance to get to know Remus before we speak to her after all." She pursed her lips and glared at the man who was glaring daggers at the tiny woman who gave him a tongue lashing.

Mcgonagall spoke more firmly now "Severus we are leaving now we have to contact Dumbledore after all and let him know we have arrived"

Willow had her eyes closed and was breathing deep completely wasting the evil glare that left many a Hogwarts student trembling in fear.

"We will speak later then Miss" Severus all, but hissed out before turning on his heel and storming out of the room.

Mcgonagall spoke up before following at a less dramatic pace "Severus is a... Well he's a rude, insufferable man. But he isn't a bad man. I don't believe I've ever seen anyone tell him off though. Try not to judge him to hard. Or us by him." She paused as if to say more, but nodded gently "Good day."

Instantly Willow transformed from the vibrant angry woman back into the quiet and nervous girl who had first entered the room. She fiddled with her out fit avoiding looking at Remus. "I almost got cranky Angel. I almost lost control again."

Angel spoke softly "You kept control though Willow. We wont let that happen to you again. Now Willow I would like you to meet Remus Lupin, the man who believes he is your father"

Willow smiled awkwardly "Hello" she bit her lip "Umm... I'm sorry! I yelled at your friend didn't I? I'm not sorry I yelled at him, but I am sorry that it was a friend of yours that I yelled at. Now I've made a total fool of myself and you don't even know me!"

Remus laughed quietly "I rather think you impressed Minerva and I am sure when Dumbledore hears of this from her he will be very amused! I don't think I have ever seen anyone stand up to Snape quite so well."

He smiled sadly at the young woman before him "Your mother had a temper like that Lakshmi. Once after Severus had found out I was a.." Remus trailed of wanting to tell her about being a werewolf just yet.

Angel however spoke up from the corner where he had taken to standing or brooding. He'd call it standing, everyone else would call it brooding. "A werewolf?

Willow looked at him "... I'm not meant to know that? I knew that. I mean it's all floating around you mixed in with you. I'm connected with the Earth and well that kinda connects to everything. Then you can make with the feeling of things and the knowing of what one thing feels like and another feels like and that leads to the identification of things. I was only guessing about the werewolf bit. I haven't met any recently not since I got all down with the earth and the feelies, but you feel like a were wolf should I think and I'm rambling!"

"And you are flinching! No it's okay you are a werewolf! Remember? All the girls in this room who have dated a were wolf please raise your hand" Willow's hand shot up "See! So not a biggie! The slayer doesn't even automatically kill werewolves. Well not if it can be avoided. I'm sure if one jumped her and was about to bite her she'd lay the smack down, but in usual circumstances we would just tranq them and then take them back to the cage and then. So yah no biggie! It's totally cool if you you know once every month need some fuzzy time." Willow stopped talking though seemed to be breathing just fine, not trying to catch up on lost breath or anything at all.

"Well Severus found out I was a werewolf in a rather terrible way ..." Remus continued explaining to Willow the story of Severus and the Whomping Willow and Jame Potter's rescue. "When Severus found out he wanted me expelled. He was sure I was a horrible monster. Lakshmi was friends with him much to her brother's disgust and when she heard it from him she lectured him for hours defending me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chrysalis **

**AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it.**

**I do not have a beta. Anyone interested in this position feel free to contact me.**

**Pairing: Willow / Severus, others unknown yet**

**Rating: Earlier Chapters will most likely be around PG, but it will evolve into a higher rating so I'm going to start with that right off the bat.**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners. **

_'thoughts'_

**scene change**

**------------**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Angel cornered all three new guests at Hyperion Hotel. "There are very few rules here. The main one Don't Hurt Willow. You do there are consequences." he moved to stalk off.

The two of the three seemed unsure why a vampire would care for an untrained witch. Why a vampire who was a member of The Scourge of Europe would be thankful for being cursed several times with a soul.

The only one who seemed to understand Angel's position was Remus who with out the wolfsbane potion would become a mindless monster with his transformations. Sure when the soul was gone when the monster, the demon was in control very few things mattered, but afterwards when the demon stepped back to the morality and the soul the clarity would come.

Remus understood that Angel was thankful for Willow preventing him from remaining unsouled, because with a soul he understood why he shouldn't be Angelus. He felt the guilt for Angelus's crimes. Much like Remus would feel guilty if as Moony he bit anyone.

The unlikely trio continued down the hallway looking for Willow's room so that they could speak to her about leaving L.A. for England and coming to Hogwarts both to learn and for protection form her uncle. Both professors carried the bags that contained the testing materials.

After some minor searching (before heading out they had asked for directions from one of the less hostile people living within the Hyperion Hotel (mainly Fred though she did mention something about portals and alternative dimensions if they hurt Willow in anyway)) the group found Willows Room.

Remus knocked a few times on the door "Willow, can we come in?"

The door slowly opened "Hello..." Willow smiled slightly, but seemed unsure of what to say Remus? Father? Mr Lupin? Dad?... " Professors. Something I can help you with?"

Minerva moved forward "Do you mind if we come in? We would like a moment to speak with you Miss Willow"

Willow moved aside letting the others into the room. It was tidy, but lived in. The room wasn't show room clean, but there was some sense of order and organization to it. Not all the books were in their places on the book shelf and by the computor was a can of coke, a few pices of clothing had been tossed various places, the back of the chair the door handle etc. "So what is it that you would like to speak to me about?"

"Your family history was outlined last night by Mr Lupin correct?"

"Yes... he covered the general main bits right down to Wizard equivalent of Hitler" Willow frowned a bit wondering where this was going.

"Are you aware that this 'Wizard equivalent to Hitler' may target you? You have a lot of untrained power that he could use to his advantage. If he believed you would be a threat he could kill you believing you were a muggleborn witch. If he knew your family background and who your mother was he very well may pursue you like he did her." Mcgonagall almost lectured out. "Albus Dumbledore the headmaster at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardy would like to invite you to Hogwarts"

"They have actual schools for witchy stuff? That would have made learning things _so_ much easier!"

"You should probably know that Hogwarts is one of the safest places for a witch or wizard to be and that you would be a bit older then the students." Remus explained how the school worked and the ages it usually catered to as well as the explanations that would be made to the students for her presence there. "Both of the Professors are here to assess you if you are interested in coming back to Hogwarts with us so that we will have some idea of your current skill level so that you could be placed at levels that would help your learning."

"Look this is a big decision and all. England is far away and I think I need to think. Could I let you know in the morning and then if we are going to do the tests we can start then?"

Minerva nodded briefly "Of course, we will speak then" She left the room muttering something to Snape about patience and staying calm for Merlin's sake.

Willow shut the door behind them and slumped against it

_'What am I going to do? I've been on my own with out everyone before. When I went to the coven. I could do it. It would teach me more about my magic and how to control it or use it. What if... Buffy doesn't need me. Not right now. It would be just as easy to get in touch with me there as it would be here and if she did need me wouldn't it be better that I was trained somewhat in magic(k)? Better then untrained me right? Kennedy is gone. Xander is buisy Giles is rebuiding the watchers They don't need me to be here. If they did I could come back. Angel and them managed before me too. They don't need me here. They would get by with out me. So the question is do I want to go to England to atten a school of magic(k) under the guise of an Americna magic(k) student and learn about the Wizarding world and about magic(k) and be professionally trained? _

__

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Albus are you absolutely insane?!?!" The plump head from the fire place squeaked out "Absolutely not! You cannot! It is unheard of!"

"Not entirely unheard of Cornelius. Before the separation it used to be rather common and the rules have not changed they just weren't acted upon. She will be coming and staying at Hogwarts. Plus we believe with her raw power she will attract Voldamort's..." the man apparently known as Cornelius flinched as Dumbledore continued on not noticing "... attention and it would be much safer for us all if she were kept safe here. I am sure you can appreciate that. I would hate for something to happen to her and have her on his side. Have I mentioned she managed to befriend Vengance demons? Half the Scourge of Europe? A wather and a slayer... and a various assortment of other people. I'm sure they would feel much more at ease if she was here getting training. Then they wouldn't be able to blame you if she were to be hurt or used."

"Is that a threat?!?!" The head squeaked out.

"Of course not Cornelius, I'm simply making an observation. The young lady has some powerful friends with historically short tempers who would blame The Ministry for knowing of her existence and not helping her or protecting her... Don't you think?"

"But the American Ministry?"

"Only trains witches they know are pure bloods. That leaves very little for a young woman who is adopted. So it falls to us, after all with her father being who he is, she is a British Citizen as well." Dumbledore didn't even pause to let the other man answer "I'm glad we could have this little chat and are on the same page now Cornelius. Now if you don't mind I think I should get back to attending to the school and you to The Ministry. Good day" and the head in the fire place flickered away.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Willow picked up the phone and called Cleveland to speak to Buffy and Giles.

"Buffy, hi." Willow rested her head against her head board and curled up on her bed suddenly feeling very homesick. The only problem was that home had been destroyed forever. It wasn't even Ira and Shela's place she missed or the dorms. It was the gang and Sunnydale.

"Willow? Is everything okay? Is everyone okay?" Buffy asked slightly panicked to hear from the young witch so soon after her last phone call.

"Everyone is fine. I just needed some advice and I didn't know who else to ask" Willow suddenly felt guilty for worrying her friend. For taking her attention away from the activated potential slayers "It's nothing major, if you are are to busy I can deal."

"Wills it's not that I don't want to listen I do, but it's just.." Buffy explained, but Willow found herself not listening to the other woman's justifaction. She understood that the Slayer was busy. To busy for her.

"It's okay "Buffy I'll talk to you later you go keep on top of your ... stuff. Bye"

Willow tried another number with similar results from Xander. Her Xander. She understood really she did, but it still hurt.

They had moved on and left her behind somewhere. She didn't fit with the potentials. She wasn't helping to rebuild the council or start training the recently activated slayers. Some where between her coming here and now their lives had kept going. They really didn't need her. They were okay with out her.

Mind made up Willow decided it was time to get ready for bed if she was going to ace that testing.

Raven: I was trying to imply with Angel calling Willow Red, that Spike was still around. Nicknames get picked up. Angel had a room full of people trying to find Willow... if she doesn't want them to find her then he doesn't want them to have information on her. Apparently that didn't work so I've changed it to Little One.

In the hypothetical fic world that occurs out side of this fic yes Spike is back. Does Willow know this? Nope! My understanding is after his return Spike almost went to Buffy and then decided to leave it. He died as a hero and not to go back again. If he wants that Willow would be a very dumb person to tell... what with her being friends with Buffy.

With the extra history... if you were speaking about recapping some of the demons / creatures she's befriended. Non of the Hogwarts characters would know this. Willow is a rambler and I wanted a chance for her to ramble. Full out massive rant ramble. I also wanted a chance to show her moving from shy and quiet to passionate about something. It struck me as a Willow thing to totally forget that she was in a strange new situation and to forget her fear and suddenly start telling off someone in defense of her friends. Sure for a lot of people it was a recap, but as far as I was concerned it was worth the recap to give some depth to the character. It also gives me some where to go to start building some form of tension between the two characters I want to pair together. Thanks for your feed back :) I hope my answers helped.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chrysalis**

**  
AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it.  
**

**Pairing: Willow / Severus, others unknown yet  
**

**Rating: Earlier Chapters will most likely be around PG, but it will evolve into a higher rating so I'm going to start with that right off the bat.  
**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners.  
'thoughts'**

**  
**

**--------- Changes of scene**

**Chapter 5**

'It is simple just swish and flick. Swish and flick and swish and flick! If it is so simple then how come I can't seem to get it right?' Willow was fuming. She was frustrated. She had been enjoying her lesson in wand magic. She wasn't quite sure why exactly someone would want to solely use a wand. It seemed kinda silly to her to rely on a point stick that could be broken, or lost, or dropped or forgotten or taken away or any various other kinds of things that would be bad and would leave a witch with out any protection.

They didn't even seem to focus on more physical forms of protection. Granted when did her school teach weaponry? Okay school for kids, but still teaching kids to rely heavily on wands was like teaching kids to rely heavily on calculators. Much badness happens and lazy dumb brain develops!  
She found the whole thing interesting. A whole new world of learning to explore, but it was frustrating and daunting.  
Transfiguration was difficult. She could do it really well . so long as she wasn't using a wand. Reach out with a tendril of magic(k) while it was being demonstrated and then get her magic to replicate what was being shown. Great, easy, simple! Get her to do it with a wand and that was where things started to go wrong.

She had managed to figure out how to transfigure a button into a pin and back again. The problem was she seemed to turn every button in the building into a pin and back again. They had to ward the room they were using for testing to try and contain the impact. The other people staying in the Hotel didn't seem to like the punk look. Apparently though for Spike the safety pins brought back fond memories of being a punk. Professor Mcgonagall kept telling her that all she had to do was control and focus herself. The problem was the longer they went on the more frustrated Willow found herself and the less focused her spells were.

History of Magic was okay. She didn't really have a broad base, well any base in the History of the Wizarding world, but her non wizarding prophecies and ability to interpret them was that of a student at the equivalent of their University system. Mcgonagall had suggested divination might be an interest of hers if she attended Hogwarts. Though the professor had suggested she take up that subject in a tone that was less then amused and more then skeptical. By the end of the conversation Willow made a point of warning the other woman that bad mouthing seers might not be the best of ideas around Angel. She was pretty sure that anyone bad mouthing something related to Cordelia wouldn't go down to well. She had heard stories from some of the others about the seer's out of body trip shortly before dying. She suspected Angel would still brood over it. She also suspected that it would be upsetting for him and the others to hear something like sight that had crippled Cordelia so much being talked about flippantly.

Herbology was patchy like the rest. Plants were usually ordered in to the Magic Box prepared so she had never needed to learn to identify many magical plants ahead of time. Some of the common plants she could manage just fine with. The sorts of plants though that the wizarding world kept under wraps and stopped from growing in muggle areas left Willow at a weakness.

She found it all rather odd. Wizard's and witches seem to keep themselves so isolated from the muggle world. Apparently muggle studies was an option at the school, but since she had the most experience living as a muggle than any of the other students she wasn't even being tested in that area. Though Professor Mcgonagall had warned her if she went with her father for a portion of the summer she might be quizzed by a man called Mr Weasley. Apparently this Mr Weasley grew up in the Wizarding world and was fascinated by muggle devices. Willow made a point to show him her computer if she met him.

Charms went much the same way. She could do them by replicating magically with her power with out a wand, but with the wand things started to go wrong. She had been assured that time and practice would fix that, but it was so hard to not just ignore the wand. It had been going well until now. And apparently she was being stared at. What has she done wrong now! "I know I am meant to be learning about the wand, but really it would have taken us hours to find every piece of charmed furniture and get it to stop moving. I think I spilled over the wards with that one and I just wanted to save us a little time." Willow flashed an unsure smile.

"Well since it seems we are done for now, run along for the moment and see me tomorrow when you've finished with Severus. I'll have put together some material for you to look at and learn from to start moving towards the level we expect from someone of your age. Willow grimaced, she really didn't want to go though this all again tomorrow she was feeling the drain of tapping into her magic to much to often from today. Maybe there was something to this wand thing if it didn't leave her feeling like her life's energy had slowly been siphoned out of her body. She couldn't afford to get drained. She was really going to get herself grounded again if she was going to have to continue testing tomorrow. She didn't think she'd tried to use that much magic for small things so often since she stopped drawing magic in to use on everything. Since she had her problems with it. Since she lost Tara. It still hurt.

Willow moved though the building slowly her body tired heading towards a small court yard near the centre of the hotel originally meant for guests to enjoy some privacy while out doors she suspected. When she had moved in it was over run with weeds and over growth slowly she began to manually and magically take care of the place creating a peaceful retreat in the middle of the city for her to escape and connect with nature. Aware of the nocturnal nature of her host when adding in new plants she tried to select those that flourished and were the most beautiful at night.

A few hours later Willow was stirred from her thoughts by a familiar aura moving towards her though the vegetation. No sound came out of the growth that could lead her to suspect her senses were telling her the truth, but this was a game that they had played before. "You may as well come out now. I know you are there" Willow waited a moment and was greeted with silence. "Fine Spike you can skulk behind a tree sneaking up in the shadows on girls like Angel or you can come out..."

"I am nothing like The Pouf! I do not sneak up on girls or brood in shadows!" Spike glared and pouted just a touch as he came out of the shadows behind a tree. "What's wrong Red you look drained"

Willow just gave him a small smile "I used to much magic(k) today. Apparently it's not as bad with the wand, but today I was using both and it got a bit much on me. I need to build up my energy reserves I'm meant to be meeting with the other Professor tomorrow to continue the testing." She paused "Spike? Do you think I'd be doing the right thing to go with them? To go back to England and go to this school with them?" Willow worried her lip looking up at him.

"Red, luv, don't you think this is a talk you should have with the Slayer? That responsible watcher friend of yours? What about that irritating best friend?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth and he saw her wince he realized she had tried to have this conversation with all three of them. All three had brushed her off being to absorbed in their own thing to realize that the little witch needed her friends. They had sent her here over six months ago to recover from the grief of losing her girl friend, in that entire time he had yet to see any of them visit her. They would call every few weeks to check in on her and they would always apologize and make promises to visit soon. As usual though it seems the quiet witch had been brushed off and passed over. She was an amazingly powerful witch, but at the same time she was very delicate and fragile. She was intelligent and strong, but she was a fragile little girl at times who wanted to be told things were okay. She needed her friends and they were gone.

Spike sighed hating to see the broken look in her eyes "Alright luv, you know I'm not good with the advice Red, but this is how I see things. You have a chance to learn something new that's never been anything you have ever ran away from before. You can always come back here, come back home if you hate it there. Plus you didn't get me a present the last time you were in England so you owe me something really good this time. I expect something really good and something that will annoy the Poof to no end." Spike wasn't sure when he went soft, but he blamed the Bit and Red for it.

Willow's giggled laughter filled the entire court yard and Spike breathed out a breath of relief. He didn't like seeing her eyes dead and drained she was fiery and she was meant to be vibrant. His relief was short lived because the laughter died and the little witch spoke up again "Spike? Can I tell you something? Something that I haven't told Buffy, or Giles, or Xander, or Angel? My magic isn't just white."

"What do you mean Red?"

"The darkness? It's inside of me too, it will always be inside me. I can feel it moving around me, moving through me. It is always there. There's the good, white magic, the neutral magic and then the darker magic all moving around me. I'm not one or the other instead I'm all three all at once. I'm scared Spike, what if I go there and I cannot control the darker side of me? What if I go Darth Willow for real on them?" Willow looked at Spike with wide worried eyes.

"Red you know how to control yourself how to balance yourself out. There is a Big Bad out there right? He's probably looking for you from what I hear. You think he's not going to want your darker side? This way you stand a chance of knowing how he might attack you of understanding him and more ways to defend yourself from him." Spike flopped down next to her.

Willow thought about what he was saying for a few minuets before smiling "Plus you have a vested interest in me going to make sure you get a good gift this time" Willow hugged the vampire tightly and whispered quietly "Don't worry I wont let them know what a good listener you are." She stood and left the vampire outside to think as she went to get some rest.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spike pounded on the doors in front of him loudly not caring if the people in the room were sleeping or not. Eventually the three doors were opened and he was greeted by a witch and two wizards. "Alright, the name is Spike and if you upset or hurt red in any way you all will personally get a demonstration of how I earned the change from William the Bloody to Spike." Spike stormed away his leather duster trailing behind him leaving a group of very confused wizard's.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chrysalis**

**  
AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. It's a fan fiction accept it I will do my best and help is always welcome so long as it's not jumping down my throat. I do not have a beta. If you are interested in that job contact me.**

**Pairing: Willow / Severus, others unknown yet**

**Rating: Earlier Chapters will most likely be around PG, but it will evolve into a higher rating so I'm going to start with that right off the bat.**

**Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners.  
'thoughts'**

**  
**

**--------- Changes of scene**

**CHAPTER 6**

Willow paced about her rooms, shortly she would have to face Severus Snape. She wasn't scared of him at all. Of course not. Her afraid of a wizard! Not one bit. It isn't like his report back to the school could impact where she was placed and at what pace she would learn at. Okay so she was scared and nervous. Yesterday had been hard, really, really hard. Willow wasn't sure today would be much better. She felt like her worst nightmare had come true. She was writing reams of important exams and no one had told her that she would have to take them. Much less bother to teach her the material she had to know.

Now that she had decided for sure. Now that she had told herself she was going to go to Hogwarts, she was going to master magic(k) using a wand the pressure was on.

There were only two things that stood between her and her decision to go to Hogwarts now. The first being her total failure as a wand witch. While rationally she suspected the offer to come to the school was open regardless of her performance. She knew that they didn't expect her to know everything that there was to know about wand magic(k) or anything at all about it. Considering she had no formal training in magic(k) anything applicable she knew was more a bonus. That didn't stop the scared emotional side of her.

'_What if I do fail? What if they hate me? What if I'm not good enough? What if I'm a big disappointment? What if Remus doesn't want anything to do with a talentless failure of a witch he has for a daughter? What if the school rejects me? What if the other students hate me, because I am so far behind? What if I am not cut out for it? What if...' _ Was one of the many constant back ground thoughts running though her head as she was pacing her room trying to patently wait until it was time for her to continue her testing.

The second thing that stood between her and Hogwarts was herself. Her history. Willow wasn't sure how the person in charge of the school would react to her history.

'_What if they think I'm evil? What if they are scared of me? What if they send me to a wizard type jail to rot for ever? People do take dark evilness and world ending attempts fairly seriously. It might not matter that I stopped. It might not matter how many times I helped save the world before and after the fact. It might not matter that I have white goodness in me too. They might just see the black darker side to me. Just like most of them seem to see the werewolf in Remus. They might just see me in black and white and hate me for the black and not see the other bits. What if they don't see the other bits? What...' _Was another side thought circling her brain constantly.

She had been tempted to not tell them about her past. To skip over the part about darker magic(k). The bit about hurting her friends. Gloss over the pesky detail of ending the world. Some how she couldn't though. She knew it wouldn't be right or fair. These people were going out of their way to offer her a chance to attend their school. They were going to expose her to the children in their society. They needed to know. That way if something went wrong. If she lost control. If she was overwhelmed by the dark magic(k) that poured though her veins they could protect themselves. They prepare to stop her. She wasn't sure if they could succeed in stopping her, but they deserved to know the risk that was being taken by everyone around her simply by being around her. She couldn't justify to herself going back with these people and letting them help her, letting them trust her blindly with out them knowing what they were getting into.

_'What if I can't control it? What if the darkness leaks out or into me? What if it takes control of me? What if I hurt someone? If I hurt a student? If I hurt an innocent? If I do more then hurt someone? What if I take justice and judgment into my own hands again? What if I destroy them all? What if they can't stop me? What if no one can stop me next time? The time after that? The time after that? What if this Big Bad finds me? Tempts me? What if I give in and be a Big Bad too? How can their world cope with two civil wars? What if..'_

Sometimes having a brain that worked on several levels all at once was a bad thing. A very bad thing. A no good very bad thing.

Willow could really see no other option than speaking with the person who ran the school herself and letting them know that she was interested in the opportunity if they would have her. Before they accepted her though she would have to let them know about her. She would have to come clean about everything. No matter how tempted she was to have a fresh start. To be around people who didn't know how much bubbled under the surface. To not see someone flinch and fear fill their eyes if her control started to slip a bit. If she started to lose it. It wasn't her friends fault. She would probably be doing the same. It was a testament to their individual strengths and loyalties that they still called her a friend. That they trusted her to use her magic(k) now that it was a part of her. Now that it was inside of her. Of course that trust might have come from the neglect to inform them the darkness was still there in a very big way. She wanted to tell Buffy and Xander and Giles, she really did. She just didn't think she could cope with them being more afraid of her. She couldn't cope with losing them entirely. She was scared. Scared of their reactions. Scared of the rejection she might face. It was selfish and she knew that. She hated not telling them, but being so far apart and so loosely in contact made it easy. At first they had be busy fighting the First. Then they had seen her wield the good magic(k) and they didn't think it was an issue anymore. Then time passed and the longer it went the harder it was to bring up. She was rationalizing it, trying to justify it, but how do you announce to someone that you were still part dark.

How do you explain that the darkness didn't automatically mean she was evil? And oh goddess she was going to be late! Willow in an even bigger panic grabbed up her spell book, the itemized colour coded list of demons she'd had experience with in the past and a list of potions she had successfully produced. Then she flew out the door cursing herself, her distracted brain and her lateness. On her way out she bumped solidly into someone Remus it seemed had been doing pacing himself out side her door. "Oh goddess! I'm sorry! I'm just in such a rush and I didn't look and I'm late and I've already made one bad impression and now I'm going to have made an even worse one and he's going to fail me and ..." she trailed off as she heard her name

Remus smiled quietly at the young witch as he cut her off "Willow, we can talk as we walk so you wont be quite so late" he offered the little witch his arm and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Now breath. Everyone makes a bad impression on Severus when he first meets them no matter what they say or do."

"But not everyone yells at him and threatens him." Willow protested.

Remus laughed thinking momentarily back to the Mauraders "Not quite usually the students cower in fear and bite their tongs because they are to afraid to stand up to him." The werewolf paused for a moment thinking of how to phrase his words "I wanted to let you know to not put to much stock into any comments he might make today. Sape is very critical anything less the perfection is a failure to him and perfection is simply acceptable."

"But then when he contacts the school they will.." Willow rushed out only to be cut off again

"Already know this from years of working with him and know how to interpret what he says." Remus smiled as he stopped by a door "We are here, you should probably go in though to avoid being any later then you are. Remember you are new at all of this so you do not have to have all the answers or know everything even if other witches your age would. You are going to do just fine I am sure of it."

Willow was at a loss for words. Shela and Ira had never been like this with her. Giles had when they were the Sunnydale Scoobies, but he wasn't family. She hugged her biological father quickly and found a small worried smile for him as she let go of the quick hug "I don't suppose I could you know skip the testing part...?" At the look she got from Lupin she smiled again "I guess not, but it was worth asking! If you change your mind and decide to exorcise your parental right to write me a note to get me out of class you know where to find me!" Willow laughed softly and took a deep breath entering the room.

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Severus Snape glared at the door as he heard muffled conversation and laughter though it. He watched the little witch walk into the room with a silent stern face.

Willow had the decency to blush and look sorry "I'm very sorry sir. I am late I bumped into Remus and he wanted a quick word with me before I came in." Willow flashed a very apologetic smile Snape's way.

"Well then stop wasting my time and lets get on with this spectacle!" Snape snapped.

Willow fumed inside and she wanted to retort, but this just didn't seem like a worthwhile battle so she settled for a glare "Speaking of saving your time I thought that you might get a more clear idea easier of where I'm at with experience with these." she handed him the book of spells and her lists.

"How reassuring that you can use that mind you apparently have." Snape sneered at Willow

Willow bit her tongue literally _'Don't rise to it. You made it though high school. You've seen worse then him. Right now you need to focus on testing you can argue later. It isn't worth it. He isn't worth it.'_

Snape looked at the muggle journal in front of him with a hodge podge collection of spells contained in it he did not even bother to contain his look of disdain as he put it to the side. He then moved onto the list of creatures she had faced in the past "I suppose this is meant to be reassuring? Impressive? You have no solid background in any area of spells I doubt you could do an effective shielding spell with a wand at the moment."

Willow snapped "Of course I can't do a shielding spell with a wand until you lot showed up I had no idea magic(k) could be done with a wand! It would be unreasonable to expect me to be able to know how to use a wand right away!"

"Child are you calling me unreasonable?" Snape directed his patented Longbottom glare at the younger witch.

Willow didn't even bother to flinch instead she looked him strait in the eye and very clearly replied "I wasn't calling you unreasonable." Willow paused for a moment "I was implying you are unreasonable, however if subtlety is not your forte then yes you are being entirely unreasonable!"

"Little girl you would do well to respect..." Snape growled out.

"You listen here buster! I am not a child or a little girl, I am a full grown adult woman so you don't get to boss me about! I don't give respect blindly to anyone. You want respect you earn it. You have to show me that you are worthy of my respect and so far all you have shown me is you are a cranky grumpy pants!" Willow crossed her arms "With that sort of attitude I'm surprised you have friends."

Snape narrowed his eyes "I do believe that my personal relationships would be non of your concern. Is that all? Or shall I just write off my entire week to listen to you prattle on about insignificant things?"

'_Goddess he doesn't have many friends..' _then she remembered something from the conversations / warnings she had been given about him. She bet that Severus Snape probably never had friends. She was going to have to speak to Remus to find out. With that realization he became a little more tolerable at least until she found out why he was such a Grinch. She knew what it was like to not have many friends.

They worked with out the conversations she had had with Mcgonagall. Instead Severus Snape issued orders and then insults if her replications were less the perfect. He refused to let her demonstrate with wandless magic(k) first. Since the feedback was almost entirely negative in her mind Willow was unsure of exactly what level she was at. He did seem less critical about her demonology though some of her techniques for dealing with said demons were extremely unconventional and 'Gryffendor-esque'.

Her dark creatures back ground was another area where less criticism was given automatically. However, if she seemed to know something Snape would keep pushing for more and more information trying to find the smallest detail that she didn't know or have committed to memory. If she wasn't so irked by his attitude and behavior she might have enjoyed the challenge a little more.

Then they would come to something apparently simple. Something that she had never come across before or had reason to come across. Something like Boggarts.

"Really Rosenberg-Lupin this is first year material! How do you expect to get anywhere in any amount of time if you do not already know this stuff?" he'd exclaim and glare and look horribly put out and then would mark a few notes down. Willow had taken to writing her own notes anything that got a 'Really Rosenberg-Lupin' in that condescending tone got written down to be reviewed.

Or she would get a reaction like "Rosenberg-Lupin do you really expect me to believe you helped defeat a hell goddess when you don't even know how to defend against a dementor?"

To which she of course politely replied. Maybe she forgot politeness by that point, but she did remind her tester that they were probably exclusive to the wizarding world and there for there was no reason to expect her to have any clue what they are.

By the time Willow was done with Defense Against The Dark Arts she felt even more frustrated and drained then the day before, but she was determined. She was going to prove to Severus Snape that she could be the best wand witch ever. She was going to make him eat every snarky comment that had flown out of his mouth!

Willow had hoped that DADA would have been one of her stronger subjects. She suspected that her theory and back ground of most of the creatures and defenses was solid. More solid then Mr Snape (and stress the Mr, because the lack of appropriate title seemed to get his eye to twitch) let on. She was sure they weren't teaching the students how to deal with Glorificus or Master Vampires or any of the extreme things she encountered as a Scooby. Or while in L.A. with Angel. She hoped that like everything else she had most of the advanced stuff down in one way or another, it was the simple stuff, the wand stuff and the wizarding world specific stuff she was flawed with. Darker Magic after all had been her thing. Probably not something to brag about, but she had insight.

If Willow had found Snape critical in DADA bad potions left him twice as critical. She was good at potions she knew that for sure. It was just like Chemistry and she was good at Chemistry. Granted she had been good at every class barring gym. Potions didn't require a wand and it was something she had been able to work on and develop some skill with though out the years. She could also make them with out using any of her magic, they caused less drain and strain on her body and her mind. Despite that every potion she made was flawed in some way. While they were all 'acceptable' every single one apparently had a flaw to them in some way shape or form: Colours slightly off, liquid to thin, to thick, to bubbely, not bubbely enough.

It had been made very clear that if she expected to be allowed in _his_ potions classroom for any reason however she would have to dedicate herself to learning how to recognize each ingredient by sight.

Willow finished cleaning up the area she had been working in and returned all the potions tools and ingredients to where Snape was reading her potions were piled and labeled in charmed containers for testing.

She left the room silently and almost bumped into Lupin. "Well? How did it go?" He seemed slightly shocked by something. Willow suspected that she hadn't left the room in tears or that she wasn't fuming in anger.

Willow shrugged "I'm not sure. It is harder to tell with him. Mcgonagall let me know what I was doing right as well as wrong. Though my 'Gryffendorfer-esque attitude' will ensure that I will enjoy the current trend in DADA professors and he is adament that I can catch up in no time only because 'nothing of relevance has been taught in that class in years.' Potions I am even more unsure about... I thought I followed each instruction word for word exactly. Muggles have a study called Chemistry and I was very good at it. It is like their version of potions. Every one I created was flawed in some way, but acceptable so far. I have to return to finish the polyjuice potion and then the Veritaserum. Though he's certain that it will be on the weak side because I added the Monkshood half a second early... " Willow trailed off "but they will be 'acceptable' and my 'presence will be tolerated in a class room providing by that point in time ingredients are recognized by site'"

Remus chuckled at her Snape impressions "Has Severus scared you off of attending Hogwarts yet?"

Willow giggled "Not one bit. Actually I want to attend more just so I can make him admit I've made a perfect potion."

"I don't think that will happen"

Willow went into Resolve Face mode "See this face? Remember it, it is my resolve face if you ever meet Xander he will be able to let you know that once I have this face on my mind is made up and there is absolutely no swaying it. Potions and DADA are the two areas I should be good at."

"So you are going to attend Hogwarts?" Lupin smiled hopefully

"I'm not sure, I hope so. I need to speak to the person in charge, there's some stuff about me that they should know before the accept me as a student, but if they will have me then I think I will go for my wizarding education. I better go speak to professor Mcgonagall to let her know that and get the readings from her she offered me" Willow shot off down the hall before she could be asked in anymore detail about what she had to discuss with Dumbledore.

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Mcgonacall closed the door quietly and moved to her desk with a quill to write a letter.

_Albus, _

_Willow has preformed above expectations. _

_Her wand work is extremely weak. She lacks focus and technique with it, but I am sure with time and practice that can be learned. _

_She grasps the concepts and magically understands what occurs, but she lacks the ability to funnel her magic though the wand. Or to control the effect. I would recommend she start off with remedial transfiguration and charms. I am sure left to her own devices she may master them quickly. She seems to be a quick study with out the wand._

_Her history of the wizarding world is not surprisingly non existent. However her back ground in non wizarding magical history is impressive and her prophecy back ground and interpretation skills rival those of advanced study students on apprenticeships._

_Herbology of plants exclusive to the wiarding world is non existent as well. Her recognition of plants more familiar to muggles though is acceptable. She has an idea about their uses and properties and can recognize and knows some harvest techniques for fresh plants. _

_Apparently her remedial DADA is weak, but the more advanced subjects are covered._

_She is 'acceptable' at potions and providing she can demonstrate that she has learnt potions materials on sight Severus will grudgingly allow her to use the work stations in his classroom._

_She seems to be a very academic, studious young lady. I would recommend self study in as many subjects as possible. With such an uneven background I doubt very much she would learn in some of the classroom settings we offer. I will discuss this more when I return. In those where practical skill must be demonstrated I'd recommend tutorials be arranged on a once a week basis for an hour where she can demonstrate the skills and ask questions. _

_Before we commit to firm study plans however, she would like to meet with you before she agrees to attend Hogwarts. We shall be arriving the day after tomorrow in mid afternoon._

_Minerva Mcgonagall_

Minerva charmed her letter so that it resembled a simple letter inquiring about due dates for timetables in case it was intercepted. She then attached it to an owl which headed directly to Hogwarts.


	7. Chapter 7

Chrysalis  
  
AN: This is my first story. Feedback is more then welcome. I am not extremely familiar with The Angel series or with the details of later BtVS episodes so I will be taking some creative license with things. Feel free to help me though! Thanks to my beta Lisa-K!  
  
Pairing: Willow / Severus, others unknown yet  
  
Rating: Earlier Chapters will most likely be around PG, but it will evolve into a higher rating so I'm going to start with that right off the bat.  
  
Disclaimer: This piece of fiction was created for sheer fun, no profit is being gained from it. The non original characters contained within belong to their respective owners.  
  
'thoughts' --------- Changes of scene  
  
CHAPTER 7  
  
Willow wrung her hands together as the group headed into Hogwarts. Rather then taking the train from London they had portkeyed to just outside of Hogsmead and were walking up. As she took in the castle her eyes went wide. "Goddess," she whispered her attention darted to the three others with her. "Is that... is that the school?"  
  
Remus Lupin grinned warmly and nodded. "Beautiful isn't it?"  
  
"Muggle schools for children just don't ... well they just aren't... wow.. I've never seen a school like it!" Willow was literally bouncing as she walked now with a huge grin on her face. She resembled something like a very hyper child. "It's so magical in a literal and non literal sense! And the children learn there? They actually teach in that castle? Oh goddess." She burst into an excited giggle a smile stuck to her face. Fear of meeting the headmaster totally forgotten in the awe of the castle.  
  
"You should see it how the first years do. They come across the lake in boats. It's very impressive for them."  
  
Slowly as the group moved their way towards the castle and the meeting Willow's nerves returned. She refused however to let her nerves ruin the sheer beauty of what was in front of her. The entire place hummed with magic the closer she got, the stronger it was. Her entire body tingled with warmth because of it. She spoke in a quiet awe filled voice. "So much magic," her hand held out in front of her as if she was touching the very magic herself. "I've never felt anything quiet like it. It's as if the entire building is infused with magic, right down to the stones that make it up." Willow closed her eyes and sent her senses out around her, she stumbled in her step slightly as the thickness of the magic in the air hit her. "Goddess," she breathed again.  
  
"What are you on about Rosenberg-Lupin?" Snape exclaimed in frustration.  
  
Willow looked at the others around her "You can't feel it? The air is thick with magic it's flowing everywhere all around us. It's... oh Goddess. It's like peace so warm and inviting and electric. How can you not feel it?" Willow looked at the others realization dawning on her face "You really can't feel it? A part of Wicca is learning to reach out with your magic to feel, to sense the magics around you. So you can drawn them in to you, push them out or shape them. You send yourself down towards the ground, nature to try and keep yourself stabilized and balanced. Every spell, every charm, every current of magic floating in the air, around us, I can feel it all as one great big mass. There is so much here it's overwhelming. There is no escape from it it's in the air, in the plants, in the ground, the buildings everything." Willow finished her speech by twirling with her arms spread out, feeling the air and magic pour over her skin.  
  
"As entertaining as flittering about like a child is, I do believe the Headmaster is waiting to speak to you and you are keeping him waiting"  
  
Willow pouted slightly and began to fidget nervously "Yes... he would be.. we should go inside then right?"  
  
Remus sensed a full out nervous rant about to spill out of the poor girl and he grabbed his daughters arm. "Yes we should. Perhaps Albus will have some tea, I am parched"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------  
  
Now Willow sat in a very eclectic office, looking at an even more eclectic appearing man. He seemed very quiet and very kind and waiting for her to start talking. All of them were. Each one looking at her. "Well.. I suppose... I'm not sure where to start really."  
  
Albus Dumbledore smiled kindly at the little witch sitting across from him, her hands clenching her tea cup so tightly her knuckles were white. "I often find that starting something from the beginning often causes less confusion."  
  
"Yes, but where is the beginning. I just. Could you just let me talk and please let me say everything?" Willow rushed out very quickly trying not to lose her nerve.  
  
"Of course dear I am sure we can hold our questions until the end can we not?" Dumbledore looked at the others in the room "Would it be perhaps easier to talk about with just myself here?"  
  
"No, I mean it's okay if they stay. What I have to say will impact them so I'm sure they deserve to hear it to. It's just." Willow took a deep breath and put her untouched tea up down, she stood from her seat and began to pace in a very Giles like manner. "You all know I have no proper training, I am pretty much self taught. There was no one to help me along or guide me really. Giles was there, but he didn't really follow me and magic much and at the time the ends justified the means or so we thought. What I am trying to say is that some of the magic I've done in the past has been less then white."  
  
Willow barely even paused for a moment before she continued telling everyone in the room about her progression into Darker Magic, then to magic addiction, Darth Willow, Warren's death and her attempted destruction of the world. Everything. By the end she was crying softly as she spoke.  
  
Then she explained the coven, how she went there. How they couldn't remove the absorbed magic. They could only teach her to try and learn how to control herself to keep herself grounded. How they had used their magic to connect her to everything on the planet. Despite that though the darkness had become a part of her.  
  
Finally Willow explained about The First evil. Of her lighter magical side.  
  
"I needed to speak to you because I needed you to know before letting me into the school that I could be a risk if I lose control of myself. Not that I don't think I can control myself, but just in case. It wasn't something I could expect you to risk with out knowing. The dark side and the light side are existing all at once inside me." Willow stopped speaking but kept her glance indirect.  
  
"Is that all Miss Rosenberg? Lupin?" Dumbledore asked softly.  
  
"I believe so," Willow fidgeted with her hands while she waited for Dumbledore's reaction.  
  
"I'm honoured that you trusted us with your tale and it answered many questions I had, but honestly my girl how many powerful rouge witches do you think there are in North America with connections to half the Scourge of Europe and the Slayer?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled before he said. "Shall I warm up your tea before we figure out a schedule and a class system for you?"  
  
Willow's eyes snapped up disbelievingly "You mean I am still welcome to attend school here?! But I thought..."  
  
"Yes dear, but sometimes we think wrong. If you are interested in attending school at Hogwarts. Hogwarts, it seems, would more then welcome you here." Dumbledore smiled at the young girl and popped a sweetie into his mouth. "Maybe you -"  
  
Willow flew out of her chair and ran around the desk hugging the older wizard tightly. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much! You wont regret this! I will do everything I can to make sure everyone here is proud of my success! Oh goddess!" Willow let go of the more then amused head master and threw herself at Lupin giggling. "I'm going to Hogwarts! Just like my parents did!" She burst into laughter and hugged the werewolf tighter. "Oh goddess and I get to learn and use magic and study. It's going to brilliant!"  
  
"Now then my dear I do believe we have to work out some system for you to learn in. Minerva believes you would be able to read work for the most part independently. I do believe that during the school year it might be beneficially for you to also sit in some potions and DADA classes with some of the other students. Possibly herbology as well. So you have a chance to learn from a class room setting. However your schedule will be less strict then most of the students. Do you have any objections starting over the summer?"  
  
"I'd have to get home and pick up my supplies and let Angel and Spike and the others know and then pick up some wizarding things, but as soon as that's done we can start. Would you rather I work from here, or work from the Hotel over the summer or..." Willow suddenly found herself on unsure territory.  
  
Dumbledore chuckled at the girls energy. "My dear as the last surviving family member able to inherit from your mother, your uncle and your grandmother you have no worry about accommodation in the wizarding world. There is a house where you can stay that technically when you take possession of it legally, will be yours. I do have a favour to ask."  
  
Willow thought for a moment before replying, "and the favor is?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled at her caution. "There are a group of wizard's fighting this Dark Lord who use the home as a meeting place, they would like to continue to do so. But we would be very thankful if you would allow it to be used. It might inconvenience you as people cannot randomly visit you while you are there. The location of the home has been hidden."  
  
"Is that all? Of course you can! Continue to use the house for your group to meet at. It will give me a chance to meet other wizards and witches!" Willow smiled warmly at Dumbledore.  
  
He returned her smile and continued on. "Also, there is a young man one Harry Potter who was your uncles godson. I would like to request that you allow him to visit and stay in the home for a portion of his summer vacations... his extended family are..."  
  
"Also fine, really Mr. Dumbledore I don't mind. After all you and your group didn't have to tell me about the home just yet and if I am willing to let an entire group of strangers parade though the house, I very much doubt that I am going to mind a teenage boy who was close to my family." Willow reassured quickly.  
  
"Don't worry Miss Rosenberg or would you prefer Lupin?"  
  
"Rosenberg-Lupin, that is if Remus doesn't mind me using his last name," Willow answered simply.  
  
Snape's head snapped up, hearing his condescending name for the little witch being offered as her preferred name.  
  
"However Sir, my name is Willow." the young witch crossed her arms her resolve face appearing.  
  
Lupin laughed softly. "You may as well give up now Albus, nothing you say or do shall sway her mind from being called Willow rather then Miss Rosenberg-Lupin. You have just had your first run in with the resolve face"  
  
"Very well then Miss Willow, it is almost dinner and I am sure that Severus and Minverva have things they would like to complete before hand. I would like to speak to Remus though so feel free to tour the school grounds before joining us in the great hall. Minerva I have a recommended book list for September for Miss Willow Rosenberg-Lupin to start with. I would like your opinion on it." Dumbledore smiled and those around him stood up except for Remus Lupin.  
  
Willow stood and subdued walked out of the room. She wasn't entirely sure where to go or what to see just yet. It was all overwhelming. So much was new, so much was different. She couldn't process it all. So Willow went for safe and familiar ground. She headed towards the library.  
  
Willow slipped though the library doors and waved hello to the witch behind the counter before moving to an out of the way area of the library, sat down and cried her heart out quietly. This was something she hadn't done since high school, but she just couldn't hold it in anymore. There was so many emotions running through her,a she needed to get them out some how and she wasn't sure how meditation here would work.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------  
  
Dumbledore straightened in his seat. "Remus I'm afraid the order has two missions for you."  
  
Remus nodded gravely. Internally he was a upset to be sent away so soon after meeting his cub and not getting enough of a chance to bond with her, but he knew that The Order business must be important.  
  
"First, I need you to deliver a letter in person, it is to risky for owls and the floo networks are not as reliable as I would hope." Dumbledore requested.  
  
Remus looked confused letters were usually encrypted and sent by owl rather than by a messenger. "A letter Albus? To where?"  
  
The old wizard smiled his eyes twinkling "6 Privet Drive. I will not be repeating the mistakes of last year. I would like to let Harry Potter know that he is still welcomed at the Black home, at the end of the summer. I am sure he would rather hear the news that you have a daughter better coming from you then as a surprise." Dumbledore sobered a bit. "I'm also concerned with how he is reacting to losing Sirus. It has not been long and I hope it will do the boy good to see you." Suddenly the elderly wizard's mood shifted again. "The second request involves employment."  
  
"Albus, we have this conversation every year, I can't accept any job positions as soon as my condition becomes common knowledge I would be run out of the job and the Ministry for the Control of Dangerous Beasts would be after me. I don't have a work permit," Remus had managed to avoid the conflict between the Ministry sub branch and the Order ever since he'd been run out of Hogwarts. Instead of solid permanent work he freelanced as a contact for the Order with other Magical Beasts. Even though the Ministry had acknowledged Voldamort's existence finally they were unwilling to work with sentient magical creatures or some of the darker beasts. Not all of which wanted to ally themselves with Voldamort. So Remus would travel, make contact, recruit and act as a channel back to the order itself. Remus was suited to the position. His personality set others at ease and his back ground in magic gave him a protective edge. His condition made other creatures more willing to trust him.  
  
"Remus, the job is from me and I have your permit. You will be supervising the studies of an exchange student and assisting her when required in DADA. Though the Ministry was unsure about granting you a permit for this position I passed on the message that the girl's father was rather insistent that you would be the best man for the position and that your lycanthrope would not impact the teaching of an adult witch," Dumbledore smiled. "You might want to meet with Minerva to go over the book list." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------- Minerva Mcgonagall made her way to her office deep in thought. She was unsure of what to think of the younger witch. She could be a powerful dark witch , the younger woman had committed evil acts during her life. At the same time the young witch had saved the world time and time again. At first with no mystical strength of her own. She would have to speak to the headmaster though about ways to ensure the students were protected just in case the girl's control over her Darker self slipped.  
  
For Minerva Mcgonagall it was an interesting experience to have an adult witch to teach. Often in classes she was far to often faced with bored children who were taking their education for granted. Willow however, seemed to want to absorb all the information she could. She asked to the point relevant questions and was quick to correct her errors. As a student the young woman would be a delight to teach.  
  
Her ease at accepting the younger witch might have been helped by the fact the witch featured so many Gryffindor qualities. The young witch was brave, braver then most. When she had been no more than a child she had faced living on a mouth to hell. She had made the choice to help fight evil with the slayer even though she had no mystical talents of her own. She was loyal, she stuck by her friends. She did everything she possibly could to help them in any situation. She was courageous, she after all found the courage to tell a room full of people about her less then impeccable history. She was fair, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to accept some of the darker people she had come across as people. She would have seen Angel and Spike as vampires first and not given them a chance, Remus as werewolf. Perhaps it was the girl's intelligence along side characters of her own house that left the head of Gryffindor warming to her.  
  
Liking the child though made Professor Mcgonagall ill at ease. Willow would not be at Hogwarts if she would pose a threat to the students. Still it was hard for Mcgonagall to align the stories of a dark witch, with the young woman who would be learning from her.  
  
Drawing herself from her thoughts Mcgonagall sat at her desk looking over the projected summer reading / learning list for the young Miss Willow Rosenberg-Lupin:  
  
· Arthimancy OPTIONAL O.W.L. May be written at any point  
· Books: Introduction to The Magical Art of Numbers and Equations  
for Beginner's, The Magical Art of Numbers and Equations Intermediate  
  
· Care of Magical Creatures REQUIRED  
  
· Books: Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, Students Guide to the  
Creatures of the Magical World  
  
· DADA REQUIRED  
· Books: Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter – Actions,  
Defensive Magical Theory, Basic Hexes  
  
· Divination, Muggle Studies – EXEMPT O.W.L.s in these subjects  
may still be written, however I doubt that she will benifit from  
O.W.L. Level classes in either subject.  
  
· Herbology REQUIRED  
· Books: Herbology: Plants, Care and Properties an Introduction,  
Properties of Plants, Understanding the use of Magical Plants  
  
· History of Magic REQUIRED  
· Book: History of Magic - Bathilda Bagshot  
  
· Potions REQUIRED  
· Books: Magical Drafts and Potions, Ingredients: A wizard's guide  
to potions ingredients and their properties  
  
· Transfiguration REQUIRED Books: A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration – Emeric Switch  
  
· Astronomy OPTIONAL O.W.L. May be written at any point Books: Watching the Heavens  
  
· Charms REQUIRED Books: Standard Book Of Spells 1-2,  
  
· Ancient Runes OPTIONAL O.W.L. May be written at her convince. Books: Ancient Runes Made Easy, Rune Work  
  
Book recommended that may be of interest: Magical Hyroglyps and Logograhms, History of the Wizzarding World and the Muggle World: Parallels and relationships.  
  
The young witch would have a heavy work load, like most of the students she was required to do quite a variety of classes. Unlike most Minerva would be surprised if it took Willow longer then the year to get her first O.W.L. With a quick wave of her wand she had made a copy of the list for Remus Lupin. She put together a list of the usual supplies that a student would need to practice witchcraft. Now all she needed was a list of potions ingredients from Severus and she would have the girl's shopping list for Diagon Ally all ready.  
  
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Willow's tears slowly began to slow and she began to focus again on the Library around her. Sniffling she stood from her seat and set out on a mission to clean herself up. Before leaving her hide away she dried her face and eyes as best as she could with her sleeve and then approached the witch behind the counter. "Excuse me, Ma'am. Would you be able to point me in the direction of some washrooms and the great hall?" Willow looked sheepish and slightly embarrassed to have been found out by someone as obviously having had a good cry behind stacks of books.  
  
The lady behind the counter looked up "Oh my! You haven't been crying on any of the books have you child?"  
  
Willow burst into laughter thinking of Giles and his appreciation of big thick dusty books. "So my acting attempts fall flat! Not one single tear so much as touched any pages of any of your books ma'am. Girl Guides honor," Willow held up three fingers like she was about to give the Girl Guide speal.  
  
The witch behind the counter looked somewhat confused she did however pick up her wand and murmur an incantation. Willow found her face was clean and dry and decided she needed to know how to do that one for future reference. The witch nodded and went back to her scrolls speaking, as she moved, in a distracted hushed voice. "If you give me just a moment you can walk to dinner with me..." The woman marked off a few things on the scroll and put it down.  
  
The two witches entered the great hall and Willow's eyes went wide. Something just above her caught and drew her eyes towards the ceiling. She just stood there staring above her. "Goddess," she breathed in amazement taking in the charmed ceiling.  
  
"For Merlin's sake you simpleton stop gaping at the ceiling and move some of us would like to eat dinner at some point today." Severus Snape demanded impatiently from behind. This caused Willow to jump and turn around only to be faced with the man who owned that acidic voice.  
  
"I'm sorry," she got out before turning bright red and making her way to a seat next to Remus Lupin berating herself for stopping in a doorway and glaring heavily at the potions professor.  
  
Lupin and Mcgonagall looked slightly confused. The young woman who had reamed the Potions Master had disappeared only to be replaced with a shy, quiet, easily embarrassed little girl who refused to meet their eyes. 


End file.
